Root cellar
Brother James Mara is pictured third from the left, in the back. Mara has received multiple allegations of sexual assault. (Courtesy: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre Algoma University)
Story told by Wayne Delormier
There were about 25 Mohawk boys from both Caughnawaga and St. Regis at the Garnier residential school when I was there. And the older ones had our back, us younger boys.
We were told by the older boys that if the jesuit brothers bothered us or tried anything sexual with us, to let them know and they’d fix it.
They were like our older brothers. One of them even carried a knife around with him in case.
There was a jesuit brother named brother Mara - James Mara. He was well known around the school for bothering the boys.
He was the cook. There was a root cellar where they kept the preserves on shelves made of all wood. That’s where he used to take these young boys.
There was a time I was working in the kitchen and I went down to the cellar to get something. I could hear grunting. It was him. I’ll never forget it.
One morning, he was found lying in the snow, all bloody but was still alive.
He was caught raping this young kid so the older Mohawk boys beat the shit out of him. They had fixed it.
Brother Mara never came back after that. When we came back from summer break, it was a different cook.
We were damn lucky to have the older Mohawks there to take care of things.
Brother James Mara (left) cooks in the school kitchen alongside school resident, Percy Whiteduck (right). As well as being the cook, Mara also organized school fundraisers, carnivals and performances. (Courtesy: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre Algoma University)
Onhontsó:kon
Wayne Delormier roká:raton
Ka’k nón: ákta 25 nihá:ti rotihsken’rakéhte’ Kahnawa’kehró:non tánon’ Ahkwesahsró:non Garnier tsi iontientáhkhwa’ ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’ thonterihwaiénsthahkwe’ tsi náhe’ tho shítke’skwe’. Tánon’ tsi niká:ien’ ne sénha thotí:ien’s teionkhihswanéta’s ne sénha ken’ nitionkwaièn:sa.
Ionkhi’nikòn:rare’ shes ne sénha thotí:ien’s rotihsken’rakéhte’ tóka’ enionkhiiatsté:riste’ tóka’ ni’ tóka’ enhonte’nién:ten’ aontaionkhiianónhton’se’ ne roti’kharahòn:tsi, aiakhihró:ri’ tánon’ ronónha ken’ nienhatí:iere’ enhonwatikwatá:ko’.
Kwah né:ne tóka’ ionkhtsi’okòn:’a akénhake’. Shaià:ta ne rotihsken’rakéhte’ ra’sharenhá:wahkwe’ á:re’s othé:nen neniá:wen’ne’. Shaià:ta ro’kharahòn:tsi Mara – James Mara ronwá:iats. Rahsennowá:nen tsi ionterihwaienstáhkhwa’ tsi shakotsterístha’ ne rotihsken’rakéhte’.
Rakhón:niskwe’. Onhontsó:kon thonteweièn:tonskwe’ ne atennà:tshera’ tsi wenniseráhere’. Ó:iente’ ionnià:ton. Tho shes nón:we ienhshakoia’ténhawe’ kí:ken ken’ nithotiièn:sa rotihsken’rakéhte’.
Kwató:ken shikahá:wi tsi iekhonnià:tha’ watió’tehkwe’ tánon’ onhontsó:kon ia’kátsnenhte’ nakkóha’ nahò:ten’k. Wakathón:te’ ónhka’k iakaonshé:nen. Raónha nen’ nè:’e tho nihatiéhrha’. Iah nonwén:ton ne thaosonke’nikónhrhen’.
Énska ki’ thí:ken ohrhon’kè:ne, ronwaia’tatshénrion oniehtokónhshon thaia’tión:ni, raia’takwé:kon onekwenhsóskon nek tsi shé:kon ki’ rónhnhe’.
Wahonwahá:ra’se’ tsi thononhtòn:se’ kí:ken ken’ nithoién:ha, ne ká:ti’ ne sénha thotí:ien’s Kanien’kehá:ka rotihsken’rakéhte’ wahonwanonhwenhserário’. Sahatirihwakwaríhsi’ ki’ thí:ken.
Shonterihóhetste’ iah nonwén:ton tha’tethawé:non ne ro’kharahòn:tsi Mara.
Shonsaiákwawe’ tsi ionkwatorishentákwen tsi niwakénhnhes, thihaià:tate’ shakón:nis nòn:wa.
Ótsta’ tsi ionkwatera’swiióhne’ tsi tho thón:ne’skwe’ ne sénha thotí:iens’ Kanien’kehá:ka ahonterihwatsté:riste’ ken’ naho’tèn:shon.
Translation by Sahawisó:ko’ Arquette
Brother James Mara stands in the middle of two other jesuit clergy at Charles Garnier Indian Residential School. (Courtesy: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre Algoma University)
Harvey Ermatinger (left), Cornelius McComber (middle) and brother James Mara are pictured at Charles Garnier Indian Residential School. (Courtesy: Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre Algoma University)